Part 47 (1/2)

”I can't see that there is any more danger of his losing them than there is of his losing his head. I see you are not entirely satisfied with the plan.”

”To tell you the truth, Pelham, I am not. There is, at least, a chance for mistakes.”

”I'm willing to do anything you like, that will make the election a fairer one.”

”I have it!” exclaimed Shuffles. ”We can give each fellow two peas and two beans, and let him vote twice.”

”What good will that do?”

”I'll tell you. We want another receiver; then let each fellow vote twice, giving a pea or a bean to both of the receivers. If the two results don't agree, it shall not be an election.”

”That's a first-rate idea, Shuffles, and I go in for it with all my might,” replied Pelham, with so much warmth that his companion was put in the best of humor. ”Who shall be the other receiver?”

”Name some one,” said Shuffles, generously conceding the nomination to his confederate.

”Perth.”

”No.”

Shuffles objected because Pelham had done so when he had mentioned two names.

”Richton.”

”Once more.”

”McKeon.”

”Right. McKeon is an honest, careful fellow,” added Shuffles. ”Now I think there can be no mistake.”

The minor details of the election were carefully arranged, and the boys went below again. They gave satisfactory replies to the first lieutenant, who questioned them in regard to the steamer they had gone aloft to examine. Pelham thought she was a ”Cunarder,” but Shuffles was confident she belonged to the Inman line; and it is quite certain neither of them had any opinion whatever in regard to her, except that she was going west; for the red light on her port side was visible.

On the following day, Grossbeck and McKeon, the receivers who had been appointed, were waited upon, separately, by the two ”Shackles.” They accepted the important trust which was confided to them, and each was duly and solemnly admonished of the necessity of entire fairness. They were informed that any discrepancy in the number of ballots in the hands of the two receivers would cause the vote to be rejected; and they individually promised to be both faithful and careful.

The beans and the peas were readily obtained, and were distributed among the members of the League, with the necessary secrecy. Some of the independent voters needed a little persuasion to induce them to vote, when informed that the choice was between the ”Shackles” only; but they yielded the point, and entered heartily into the excitement of the event; for, secret as were the proceedings, they were attended with no little exhilaration of feeling.

The voting commenced in the afternoon watch. The second part of the starboard watch, being off duty, gave in their peas and beans first. The receivers, without even knowing all the members of the League, took whatever was handed to them ”on the sly,” and looked as careless and indifferent as though nothing was going on. The only responsibility that rested upon them, besides the general duty of carefulness and fidelity, was to see that no one voted twice. ”Vote early and vote often” was not countenanced; and one receiver acted as a check upon the other.

The election progressed so secretly that no occasion for suspicion was given; and though the ballots were deposited under the eyes of the princ.i.p.al and the professors they saw nothing, and had not the remotest idea that anything wrong was in progress.

In the last half of the first dog watch, Shuffles began to be excited.

He was too much of a politician to be idle while any voting was going on? and so far as his duty would permit, he had watched the receivers since the balloting commenced. He had seen seven or eight vote of whose members.h.i.+p in the Chain he had no previous knowledge. He saw that Pelham had made more initiates than he had been willing to acknowledge, apparently concealing the facts for the purpose of favoring his own election. He observed that all the officers of his rival's quarter watch voted, and he was almost certain that he had been defeated.

Shuffles was angry and indignant when he discovered the treacherous shrewdness of his fellow-conspirator; but he had solemnly promised to abide the result of the election, and he could not recede from his position without a violation of the ”honor among thieves” which is said to exist. The poll would not be closed for half an hour; and as he had been cheated he deemed it quite right to restore the equilibrium by a resort to the same policy.

”Wilton, I have been cheated,” said he, angrily, as he met his old crony in the waist.

”How do you know you have?”